Melbourne great Garry Lyon has questioned Collingwood's decision to recall Mason Cox for its qualifying final against Adelaide.
Magpies forward Daniel McStay was dropped for Cox, with the decision leaving some questioning the decision as Cox has only played eight games for the year, with his last match in round 19.
Cox has had some iconic finals games, including the 2018 preliminary final and 2020 elimination final, where he kicked three goals in a quarter and kicked a goal to give the Magpies the lead in the 2023 preliminary final.
Lyon said the decision to make the selection change going into week one of finals was a surprise, even after co-host Gerard Whately brought up Cox’s three special finals performances.
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“It’s a big call… To leave it as late as it is, I can't work it out,” Lyon said on AFL 360.
“Well, you’ve answered my question for me, but I’m still not having it. So, he's kicked two goals for the year, he’s played eight games and he's kicked two goals four [behinds].”
“And they’ve waited until now. Now there are other factors that will be taken into consideration here and [Adelaide defenders] Mark Keane would loom as one of them and [Josh] Worrell the other.”
“Two of the best intercepters in the competition, so if capacity is for him is to compete aerially and not be outmarked, it might be enough for them because if he turns around and kick three goals in a quarter, as I said, that's more than he's kicked for the year and hasn't looked like it this year to be perfectly honest.”
Lyon added that the Adelaide defensive unit will be hard to beat, but Cox should have one focus when he plays.
“He's coming up against a very well-drilled defensive unit, so it was a surprise to me, but McStay must’ve been, well, has been in some ordinary form, so bottom line, Adelaide is better for the changes and Collingwood aren’t,” Lyon said.
“I’m a fan of Mason Cox, I love what he's been able to do, he's a competitor, hell front up and hell work hard in the air, and maybe they’ve narrowed his focus down to ‘don't let Mark Keane mark against you.”
Collingwood will travel to Adelaide Oval to take on the Crows on Thursday night in the first qualifying final.